rev. dan king

rev. dan king

let’s walk this faith together.

Author, Episcopal deacon, and speaker. Writing for 19 years on Scripture, prayer, service, and ancient practices that meet us at the intersection of everyday life.

 

Holy Rhythms for Hurting Hearts

Essays on Mental Health and Ancient Church Practices

Holy Rhythms for Hurting Hearts is a collection of deeply personal and pastoral essays exploring how ancient Christian practices can meet us in the middle of modern mental health struggles. Whether you’re navigating anxiety, burnout, grief, or simply longing for peace in a chaotic world, this book offers a gentle invitation to find healing through sacred rhythms like prayer, Sabbath, liturgy, service, and more.

Written with honesty and hope, this book doesn’t offer quick fixes. Instead, it points to the beauty of slowing down, showing up, and rooting yourself in practices that have carried the Church through centuries of both suffering and joy.

Holy Rhythms for Hurting Hearts

Author · Episcopal Deacon · Speaker · blogging since 2007

latest writing

how to be happy: declare yourself bankrupt

how to be happy: declare yourself bankrupt

  Our pastor tells a story about how France’s King Louis XIV planned his own farewell extravaganza. He left instructions that at his funeral service, the Notre Dame cathedral would remain dark except for a single candle above his golden coffin, the candle placed...

surrender the bone

surrender the bone

  Before I say a word about this month’s theme of “free,” you should know that I lived as a secret slave to alcohol for more than twelve years. By day I wrote Christian books on topics like marriage and prayer, and by night I got blotto drunk. I can’t think of...

when our prayers don’t add up

when our prayers don’t add up

“The words started out comforting enough,” Cheryl told me. “My friend told me how sorry she was that I’d lost my job. But then she proceeded to tell me that I must be praying wrong. And that if I was praying in faith and trusting God to provide for us, I’d have a job...

overhead projectors make Jesus smile

overhead projectors make Jesus smile

We've been attending a tiny church in a local trailer park. It's one of those classic situations where you think you are there to serve others, and you walk away feeling served to by them. There aren't greeters or ushers or enough chairs. When it's time to gather the...

he smells like mouthwash

he smells like mouthwash

Each Sunday he shows up.  He stumbles in, unkempt and a little noisy.  Typically his daughters come with him.  (They love our children's ministry.)  He sits in the metal folding chairs in our little church plant startup meeting at our local VFW Bingo Hall.  Usually,...

when you’re worried about your appearance

when you’re worried about your appearance

  I’m pretty sure my wedding dress is still in there--though I can’t be totally sure since I haven’t opened that box since the cleaners sealed it in 1971. They buried my husband’s grandmother in hers. If I passed on today, there’s not a chance they’d be able to...

the path to freedom

the path to freedom

I sit in quiet and wait. Though I've been nagging God for answers and insight, He remains silent on a particular issue I keep bringing before Him. I'm puzzling over the questions I'm asking--are they the right ones?  Is my focus in the wrong place? Maybe. And some...

when you want to move beyond being hacked off: activist faith

Today I am excited to have one of the authors of Activist Faith, Dan Darling, joining us. The newly released book Activist Faith tackles twelve tough issues and gives readers practical ideas on how to get involved. Let's meet Dan Darling....

a world of wonder, and a fragrance of redemption

a world of wonder, and a fragrance of redemption

  The air breathes cool through the open window, wafts past the “clean cotton” Yankee Candle votive that releases just a hint of fragrance. The shrub sways in time with the bell rope, and a hummingbird buzzes at the feeder, hovers in place, sips and savors. A...

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The Feast of St Ignatius with a Celebration of New Ministry